(emotional music)

- We concentrated on stayinghigh, and getting high,

and things you had to do to get high.

We were all on the same page.

We were getting our drug.

That was number one.

- [Narrator] Joanne Renucci'slife had become a statistic,

in her 40s and living in ahomeless camp in the woods.

She had just one thing left, drugs.

- My kids had gone.

My great love of my life is gone.

I was at disappointment to my family.

This is what was expected of me.

- [Narrator] As a child, Joannehad a learning disability

and struggled in school.

Though her parents triedto help and support her,

Joanne couldn't shake the feeling

that she couldn't measureup to her four siblings.

- I could see the sadnessin my mom and my dad's eyes

when I bring home like report cards.

They were always Ds and Fs.

So, you know I just knew it was,

I was a disappointment to them.

- [Narrator] So as a teen,

she distanced herself from her family,

rebelling against her parents,

and experimenting with alcohol and drugs.

- I found out that it made me feel good,

and feeling like the disappointment I was,

it kinda took the edge off,

and I knew I could keep fillingit by getting another beer,

another bottle, another hit,and I'd be okay, temporarily.

- [Narrator] At 14 shebegan dating a 19 year old.

He was everything to her.

And as soon as Joanne turned18, she went to live with them.

Three years later, she foundout how much she meant to him

when she got pregnant and he left her.

- I thought I'd finallyachieved something, a family,

and I'd be happy.

And then when he left me,and he was my great love,

you know, my first love, my great love.

And when he left me, oh, I was done.

- [Narrator] Joanne's motherstepped in to raise the baby

as Joanne dove deeperinto drugs and alcohol.

- I didn't have to thinkabout anything else

being different from my siblings,

because they were smart,and they were successful,

and they had families, and theywere doing everything right.

I never thought I could have that.

(sad music)

- [Narrator] During the next two decades,

Joanne would marry and divorce twice,

have four more children,lose custody of them,

and eventually wind up

living in a homeless camp in the woods,

supporting her addictionthrough prostitution.

Outreach groups tried tohelp those in the camp

find freedom from addiction.

But for Joanne-

- I didn't want to be reached.

This was my lot in life.

This was it for me.

I knew I would die of this.

I knew, and I accepted it.

- [Narrator] It would takethe better part of 15 years

and the deaths of many friends

for Joanne to see her life as it was.

- People started dying around me

that I really cared about, like family.

I started getting like, wait a minute,

there's gotta be more.

You don't have to live like this.

- [Narrator] So when oneof the outreach groups

who tried to help Joanne for years

offered her housing in anapartment, she accepted.

But when she overdosed andgot evicted two years later,

they spelled out her options.

- If you go to the woods,you know you're gonna die,

or you trust us, take a leap of faith.

We're here for you.

We never left you.

We will go through this with you.

And with those words,

I knew I was truly loved and cared about.

And I said, okay, I'll takethat leap of faith, I will,

I'll do it.

- [Narrator] They helpedJoanne get into a rehab program

where she met a Christianwoman who gave her a Bible

and began sharing with her about Jesus.

- I didn't know God.

I knew of Him, but I didn't know Him.

She would teach, you know,about God and His word.

And it looked like everything

I was searching for my whole life.

- [Narrator] Over the coming weeks,

Joanne spent every momentshe could reading the Bible

and discovering how God sees her.

- I couldn't put the Bible down.

I knew the words were true,'cause I was feeling it.

And this is where God happened to me.

This is where Godhappened and show Himself.

He showed up, God showed up.

- [Narrator] Discovering thatGod loved and accepted her,

just as she was, Joanne made a decision.

- I gave my life to Christ in the rehab.

That's what I was lookingfor all this time.

All this time it was right there.

It was right there.

And I was touched, by thehand of God I was touched.

Nothing was ever the same.

- [Narrator] She saysGod took away her desire

for drugs and alcohol,

and also helped her restore

her relationships with her family.

- I buried my myself.

I buried my path.

I buried that old personwho was lost and sad.

I buried that person.

And here I am.

- [Narrator] Today, Joanne returns often

to the homeless campwhere she used to live

to share the hope shefound in Jesus Christ.

- He accepts me.

He's proud of me.

I'm not a disappointment.

I'm God's treasure.

I'm his daughter.

(uplifting music)